My 11-year-old niece has type 1 diabetes. With the help of her mom, she has good control, but occasionally goes high. Her A1c is 6.9. She is always thirsty and keeps a water bottle with her at all times. Does this mean she is always mildly dehydrated? Also, I thought that if she had good control of her sugar levels, she would not be thirsty all the time. Could you please explain what is happening?

Answer:

I agree with you that if she had good control of her sugar levels, as it looks like with a A1c of 6.9%, she would not be thirsty all the time especially if she doesn't void urine a lot. In fact, I think her thirst is probably not linked to diabetes nor apparently to dehydration, but perhaps to anxiety. Your niece's pediatrician should be able to help with this.

Last Updated: Tuesday April 06, 2010 15:10:12
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